Howell James joins Barclays

James takes the role of corporate affairs director in September, although he will leave government this week as he is subject to the government's 'business appointment rules' which state that he has to wait for three months before taking a new job. The three months will be unpaid.

His new role will see him overseeing media relations, public policy, internal comms and corporate social responsibility. James will report to group human resources director Cathy Turner.

As the Cabinet Office’s permanent secretary for government communications for the last four years, James has played a key role in the government’s joined up comms strategy. James is the second-best paid PRO in the public sector.

Before the Cabinet Office, James was a director and founding partner at Brown Lloyd James, and political secretary to the prime minister Sir John Major.

He has also worked as director of corporate affairs at both Cable & Wireless and the BBC.